Starting the Day with Thank You

These days, mornings for me often start before dawn, when my toddler wakes and clamors to be picked up. I can roll over and try to go back to sleep, but his insistent cries make relaxing impossible.

Whereas I used to groan as I glanced out the window into the semi-darkness, lately I have found a way to make waking up a more joyful experience, even when it happens at 5am.

As soon as I open my eyes, I say the one-line, ancient Jewish prayer thanking G‑d for waking me up: for reuniting my soul with my body this (and each) morning. Judaism always urges us from the mundane to the holy, from the oblivious to the aware. This morning prayer, called the "Modeh Ani" or the "I Thank" prayer, is no exception. At the very moment when most of us are feeling distinctly un-spiritual (think of your own state of mind when you hear the annoying buzz of your alarm clock first thing!), Judaism urges us to force ourselves to think of the enormity of what has just occurred.

How often do we get the chance to stop and thank G‑d for the miracle of our own existence?In this brief prayer, we thank G‑d for returning our souls to our bodies once again, for not having let us die in our sleep, for letting us exist. It's an obvious source of gratitude, but one that we often lose sight of in our hectic days. How often do we get the chance to stop and thank G‑d for the miracle of our own existence?

There was once a great rabbi, who had many students who hung on his every word. One morning, the students were surprised to find their rabbi was not at breakfast. Later on, they were shocked to discover he did not come to the classrooms, either. The students missed their rabbi and wondered where he was. Finally, they knocked on his door, wondering what had befallen their beloved teacher. The students opened the door, and were surprised to find their rabbi, still in his night clothes, sitting up in his bed, a dazed expression on his face. "Rabbi," cried his students, "are you ill? Where have you been all day?" The rabbi gazed at his students and explained. "This morning, as every morning, I awoke and immediately said the prayer upon arising: I thank you, Eternal King…. And then I stopped as the words hit me. I thank G‑d? I…thank…G‑d? Students, do you realize what a privilege this is, to commune with the Almighty? I realized the power of this statement! And I have been sitting here pondering the greatness of this ever since!"

This is an old fable that hints at the power of prayer. Most of the time, prayers are rote, maybe even a little boring. But every so often, their power hits us, and transforms an ordinary moment into a magical instance of complete clarity and connection to G‑d.

Many of us today are not in the habit of prayer. I have heard many people note that they do not find it meaningful to mumble a bunch of rote words. The Jewish view is that while we always try to make our prayers meaningful (this is called having "kavanah," or being "directed" in prayer), we will not always succeed. We nonetheless have an obligation to say an extensive array of fixed prayers, however, in the knowledge that these kinds of spiritual moments will eventually ensue. We cannot know exactly when we'll have those sudden moments when we say "Aha!" and feel our connection to G‑d, but in a lifetime of praying to G‑d, there will be many.

I am named after Bubbe Yitta, and often as I say this beautiful prayer early in the morning, I think of her, of her devotion...My own affection for this first prayer of the day goes even further. Years ago, when I first began to say the traditional Jewish prayers each day, my mother mused to me that her "Bubbe" (grandma) Yitta, who was born in a small shtetl, or Jewish village, in Poland, used to say these traditional Jewish prayers each day, as well.

"She used to say a prayer as soon as she woke up in the mornings," my mother recalled one day. "It went Moidey Anee Lifanecha…." My mother said it in the very strong, sing-song-ey Yiddish accent that marked her childhood, and I had such a jolt. Here were the words of this morning prayer, the "Modeh Ani" that I had just learned, as it was said by the last member of my family to live the timeless Torah-observant lifestyle of our ancestors: my last relative to speak Yiddish as her first language, and to pray these timeless words in the same thick Yiddish pronunciation of millions of our ancestors!

Hearing my wonderful mother repeat them was like a message delivered directly to me across the generations. I am named after Bubbe Yitta, and often as I say this beautiful prayer early in the morning, I think of her, of her devotion, of her faith in G‑d, and of the beautiful, traditional Jewish life that she led. Our ancestors have been reciting this early-morning prayer for thousands of years. For thousands of years, saying "Modeh Ani," "I thank," to G‑d as soon as we open our eyes in the morning has defined who we are as Jewish people. It is a profound statement of faith, of self-awareness, and a beautiful way to be the next link in the chain of Jews who have said this prayer for millennia.

You thank G-d twice, the first, you thank G-d for everything in your life, the second, you thank G-d for giving you life and opportunity to say Thanks G-d .
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AnonymousLas vegas , NevadaJune 19, 2011

other religeons.
I was trained as a Christian, but I know that all [people come from the Jewish heritage especially my scottish family. I am happy to have this forum and the Chabad words to learn more of my ancestry. Thanyou and Shalom.
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AnonymousWilliamsville, NY-USAJune 18, 2011

This Prayer
I thank u for this prayer. I am going to say this prayer every morning. I have lots of tsuris in my household including a niece with breast cancer undergoing chemo. PLEASE PRAY FOR US! Thanks, RJF, WILLIAMSVILL, NY
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AnonymousGLASGOW, VirginiaNovember 17, 2010

Thank you, G-d!
I have been so blessed by this website which I stumbled upon in seeking prayer for help with a recent family crisis, and I have been also sharing your e-mails with my oldest daughter who is in college. With so many worries of the day, I often find it hard to sleep at night, but every morning I awaken to the still , quiet mindset of G-d's presence, sometimes it is a quiet thought, such as "Thank you, Lord," or maybe it is just a feeling of such peace and gentle comfort that I know everything is going to be all right, and I immediately bow my head and give Him thanks. To me this is the Comforter, as I feel that G-d has given me this ability to sense His presence and comfort no matter what the circumstances and I am so blessed. Right now I am going through a particularly difficult time with my youngest daughter, and am very sad. I am walking close with my Lord and feel His Presence ever with me. Your article was so very comforting. I know that G-d is always with us.
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liatbrooklyn , NYOctober 10, 2010

thank you
thank you so much for this article as every day when i do say thank you Hashem and then when i ask a question from Him to answer me back in some way-99% of the time He really answers. Very nice, thank you!
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Raymond BastarachePlaster Rock NB, CanadaOctober 8, 2010

wake up ...early
Once I used to say, after a night out at the bar.." Good Lord , it's morning !! " Now I'm a christian and say,"GOOD MORNING ,LORD !
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Steve ChandlerBend, OregonJune 2, 2010

Thank you. This thanksgiving means such a difference in my day. Your article expanded and deepened the meaningful experience for me. G-d Bless and Shalom to you and yours,
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Sheila AnthonyLas Vegas , USAJune 2, 2010

Jewish Woman
As a christian I am totally comforted by the words in this page, Thankyou so much for this.
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WOW!
This is amazing! thank you so much for sharing this! it happens to be, that when i actualy do wake up in the morning and thank Hashem, there is tottaly a different out look; way of life! i think whenever i, or anyone who does it, feels Hashem more with them, and closer to them throughout the day.
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AnonymousBlue Bell, PAApril 24, 2010

so true!!
This article is wonderful and moving. Ms. Miller hits the nail on the head - how often do we take the gift of life for granted, then grumble about something totally unimportant. Bravo Ms. Miller, this is an article I won't forget....
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